Health Systems

A laboratory technician in white protective gear and a face mask holds a rack of test tubes in a bright, modern molecular biology lab in Mozambique. In the background, another technician works at a large diagnostic machine.

US health deals offer Africa money — and take something far more valuable

Eighteen African countries have signed bilateral health deals with the US — but experts flag serious conditions in the fine print

A mother, carrying a baby on her back, getting a vaccine from a USAID mobile clinic in South Africa

ONE Campaign

Global Fund: after decades of progress against AIDS, TB and malaria, momentum falters

At a time when the world is on the verge of making incredible progress in reducing AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria-related deaths, some partners have stepped back from the fight

Here’s how the global health system can build back better after US aid cuts

By the time the Department of Government Efficiency came for USAID, many Americans viewed global health as a relic of the early response to HIV/Aids, an excuse for other governments to spend less on health

Exterior shot of the CDC-supported National Health Laboratory and Diagnostic Services facility in Kampala, Uganda, 2022. U.S. Ambassador Natalie A. Brown and others walk towards the entrance. A PEPFAR flag is prominently displayed.

Trump’s foreign aid cuts will cripple Africa’s HIV/AIDS response

US funding to fight HIV/AIDS has saved 26 million lives since 2003, with the greatest benefits felt in sub-Saharan Africa

Covid-19 pandemic reminds us that Africa must invest in human capital

It is human capital that will provide the strongest cushion in future crises, especially those that overwhelm social safety nets

Private lab tests in Uganda are costly. But price doesn’t equal quality

Timothy Amukele, Johns Hopkins University Laboratory tests are the backbone of clinical care. They are used to screen patients, to diagnose diseases and to manage conditions ranging from anaemia and diabetes to HIV and malaria. Considerable effort has gone into improving laboratory services in many African countries. But, as many previous studies have shown, the